Penstemon pallidus |
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eastern white beardtongue, pale beardtongue, pale penstemon |
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Habit | Herbs. |
Stems | ascending to erect, 25–55(–65) cm, retrorsely hairy and glandular-villous proximally, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent distally, glandular hairs sometimes sparse, not glaucous. |
Leaves | basal and cauline, basal often withering by anthesis, not leathery, sparsely to densely pubescent, sometimes also with scattered glandular hairs, abaxially, sparsely pubescent adaxially; basal and proximal cauline 20–120(–180) × 5–35(–40) mm, blade spatulate to obovate or ovate, base tapered, margins subentire or ± serrate or dentate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute; cauline 4–8 pairs, sessile, 22–100 × 4–24 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base truncate to clasping, margins subentire or ± serrate or dentate, apex acute to acuminate. |
Thyrses | interrupted, conic, 5–26(–30) cm, axis sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–8, cymes 2–8(–16)-flowered, 2 per node; proximal bracts lanceolate, 7–72 × 2–22 mm, margins entire or ± dentate; peduncles and pedicels ascending, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent. |
Flowers | calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (2–)3–5 × 1–3 mm, sparsely glandular-pubescent; corolla white, sometimes tinged lavender or blue, with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular to tubular-funnelform, 16–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately whitish or yellowish lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially; stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, (0.8–)1–1.2 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate; staminode 10–12 mm, exserted, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 8–9 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 1.5 mm; style 12–14 mm. |
Capsules | 5–7 × 3–5 mm, glabrous. |
2n | = 16. |
Penstemon pallidus |
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Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun(–Jul). |
Habitat | Tallgrass prairie, limestone and sandstone glades, barrens, rocky oak-hickory woodlands. |
Elevation | 10–300 m. (0–1000 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; CT; DC; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON
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Discussion | Penstemon pallidus is concentrated in the Central Lowlands and Ozark Plateau of the central United States. F. W. Pennell (1935) believed it to be native there, having spread eastward as a result of human activities, as in Ontario. Penstemon brevisepalus, which has been synonymized with P. pallidus by many authors, is treated here as a distinct species. Characters distinguishing the species are discussed under 147. P. brevisepalus. Some specimens from north-central Arkansas and north-central Missouri are morphologically intermediate between Penstemon pallidus and P. arkansanus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 214. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon |
Sibling taxa | |
Name authority | Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 1060, 1337. (1903) — (as Pentstemon) |
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